ROUTE 25 SHOPPING CENTER NEARS OPENING
Mix of local and national businesses planned for site
Though it missed a planned springtime debut, developer Vito Catale has the finish line for his new Monroe shopping center in sight.
The Monroe resident and partner John Chaves, of Easton, are preparing to open the Crossroads Center in coming weeks at 464 Main St. The 13,700-square-foot retail center across from the Cumberland Farms gas station and the Clock Tower Square plaza will add to the town’s string of businesses along its main commercial corridor.
“It’s a gateway to the north and it’s going to help bring more jobs and more opportunities for people to go with more shopping,” Catale said.
Developers had originally planned to open Crossroads in June, but the project hit a snag, which Catale said was due to construction changes.
The project has been ongoing for the last two years since it was first approved at the end of 2016. The duo set out to bring eight new businesses to their 2-acre parcel along Route 25, which serves is home to a string of businesses.
“It was going slowly, but we got there finally,” Catale said. “(We’re) relieved that it’s going to be finally done.”
The developers have said they wanted to bring a mix of national brands and small businesses to the project. Though an official list of tenants hasn’t been released, Catale said residents can expect a new pet store, bank branch, Verizon store and Mediterranean restaurant to be featured at Crossroads at opening day.
He added that they are in ongoing talks with other potential tenants for the remaining spaces, including a new Chaves Bakery location. Chaves owns several bakeries under the brand throughout Fairfield County.
Town officials are looking forward to the arrival of Crossroads Center and momentum it will create for business development in town.
Raymond Giovanni, president of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce as well as the recently named chairman of the economic development commission, said the focus for officials and the existing business community has been on making the town more inviting for new businesses to set up along major corridors like Route 25 and 111.
“The chamber and economic development can work together now on this mission to move forward, so this is great news for us not only for the four tenants that are coming to that facility, but that’s going to help create the momentum here in Monroe to foster more businesses coming to town,” Giovanni said.